Private A Force of Conflict

[Eli <redacted>]

The restaurant was quiet in the way expensive places always were; soft lighting, muted conversations, and a view framed by tall glass windows overlooking the plaza below. Eli watched that plaza more than his dinner, his gaze fixed on two distant silhouettes moving through the crowd: Liin. And the Jedi who refused to leave her side.

He didn’t bother hiding the irritation tightening his jaw. Instead he leaned back slightly as Arken took his seat across from him. Eli acknowledged him with a small nod, eyes never fully leaving the window. “You picked the perfect moment to arrive,” Eli said, his voice calm but edged with purpose. “I needed someone who can move without drawing suspicion. Someone whose presence alone creates… shifts." Eli tapped a finger lightly against the stem of his glass. “The Jedi is resourceful. And very inconvenient. He keeps Liin anchored. Cautious. She won’t push herself while he’s near.”

Through the glass, it looked as though Vex stepped a little closer to Liin as she paused to check her tracker. Eli’s eyes narrowed.

“I don’t want him harmed,” he continued quietly. “I just need him away from her long enough for me to take him. Long enough for her to see that she can’t rely on anyone else to shield her from what she’s becoming.”

Eli finally looked directly at Arken, shifting his focus completely towards the man. “I need a distraction,” he said. “Something subtle. Something that draws the Jedi’s attention and pulls him away. Once he’s separated, I’ll handle the rest.” His gaze slid back toward Liin, softer for only a fraction of a second before hardening again. “When you begin, don’t signal me. I’ll know.”

He lifted his glass, still not drinking, and let the faint clink punctuate his next words: “And then the Jedi becomes… useful. A demonstration of what the serum does to someone who already touches the Force. If he survives the experience, he may even become an ally. And if he doesn’t…” He exhaled softly, dismissively. “Then he no longer stands between me and what Liin refuses to explore.”

Tags: Arken Dobson Vex Drakkon Liin Terallo